Locking mechanism.



Patented Apr. 30. 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

' F. H. D. BERGMANN.

LOCKING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1915.

Patented Apr. 30, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2. 9 F6 27 LOCKING- MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 191%.

Application filed May 22, 1915. Serial No. 29,755.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnnnnnron H. D. BERG- MANN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of Fat. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looking Mechanism for Spark and. Carbureter Controls of Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following isa specification.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved mechanism which is adapted to prevent the manipulation of the spark advance and carburetor of an internal combustion engine.

Another object is to provide an improved obstructing device that is adapted to be moved and locked in the path of travel of a manipulating lever which is adapted to control the operation of an internalcombustion engine.

A further object is to provide an improved locking mechanism that is located adjacent the steering wheel of an automobile, said mechanism being adapted to prevent movement of the manipulating levers of a spark advance and carbureter, or like levers, of the motor. Y

Other and further objects will appear in I the specification and be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings eXemplifying the invention, and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a steering post and wheel of an automobile, showing this improved device secured adjacent the wheel.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View showing cooperating parts of a motor which this improved locking mechanism is adapted to lock against manipulation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line III-III, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken approximately on the line IVIV, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on the line V-V, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken on the line VIVI, Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken on the line VHVII, Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, showing another embodiment of the locking bolt of this improved locking mechanism.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings: 1 designates the footboard of an automobile. Mounted at an incline on said footboard is the usual steering rod sup- 3. Secured to the upper end of said post is the usual steering wheel 4. In some instances, the controlling rods of an automok bile motor are mounted within the steering rod support 2, the manipulating lovers of said rods being mounted adjacent the steering wheel.

In the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, the throttle rod 5, which controls the carbureter 6 of the motor 7, is mounted to one side of the steering post 3, whereas the spark control rod 8 is oppositely disposed to the rod 5, said rods being located inside of the steering rod support 2. The upper ends of these rods 5 and 8 extend out of the upper end of the support 2, the upper ends of said rods finding bearings in the filler block 9. Mounted on the upper end of the rod 5 is a controlling lever 10. Mounted on the upper end of the rod 8 is the controlling lever 11.

Referring to Fig. 2, the throttle rod 5 has a throw lever 12 secured to its lower end, said lever being connected to the connecting rod 13, said rod 13having one end communicating with the lever 14 of the carbureter. Secured to the lower end of the spark control rod 8 is a lever 15, said lever being connected to one end of the connecting rod 16. The inside end of said connecting rod is connected to the bell crank 17, said bell crank being in communication with the spark advance 18 of the motor 7 through the medium of the connecting rod 19.

All of the parts of the aforesaid construction are applicable to the majority of auto mobiles. As has already been brought out in the aforesaid objects, this improved looking mechanism is adapted to lock the controls of an automobile motor, said device being adapted to be mounted to the steering post support of automobiles.

In this improved device, a sleeve 20 is slidably mounted over the upper end of the steering rod support 2, said sleeve having arms 21 formed integral therewith, said arms being for the supporting quadrants 22 and 23. Adapted to be rigidly secured to the support 2, adjacent the sleeve 20, is a double locking member 24, i said member comprising a housing 25. Formed integral with said housing are a pair of upwardly extending cylindrical portions 26, said porport 2, in which is incased the steering post tions 26 having heads 27. Formed in each of said heads is an eccentric-ally arranged opening 28. Reciprocably mounted in each of said openings 28 is a locking bolt 29. Each of said bolts has its lower end bifurcated, as shown at 30.

Formed on each of said bolts, adjacent its lower end, is a shoulder 31, each of said bolts having a helical spring 32 mounted thereon. Said springs bear against their respective shoulders 31 and the under sides of their respective heads 27 Located in said housing 25 are a pair of pins 33. Swingingly mounted on each of said pins is a lever 34, the outer ends of each of said levers being mounted in the bifurcated ends of the locking bolts, or plungers 29, and being secured thereto by the pivoted pins 35.

I Adapted to be engaged beneath the lower ends of the plungers 29 are a pair of pusher blocks 36, each of said blocks having a leg 37 secured thereto. The inner ends of said legs are pivotally mounted at 38 and 39 to a turnably mounted member 40, said member being adapted to be turned by a key which is carried by the operator. Each of the blocks 36 has a recess 41 formed in the upper surface thereof, said recesses being for the reception of the lower edges of the levers 34.

Formed on each of the cylindrical portions 26 is a lip 42, said lips being adapted to rest against the upper edges of a pair of the arms 21.

Extending from the front side of the housing 25 is a cylindrical portion 43 which is adapted to contain the tumblers that are operable in conjunction with the key which is carried by the operator. Formed on the rear side of the housing 25 are a pair of extending portions 44, each of said portions having a threaded opening 45 formed therein, said threaded openings being for the reception of screws 46.

This housing 25, herein described, is adapted to be engaged against the under side of the steering rod support 2. The cylindrical portions 26 extend upwardly into the frame-work of the quadrants 22 and 23. The lips 42, which are formed on the pertions 26, engage against the upper sides of a pair of the arms 21.

In order to hold this improved locking member in place, a clamping plate 47 is engaged on the upper side of the support 2, the upper edge of said plate abutting against the sleeve 20 ofthe quadrants 22 and 23. A- pair of countersinks 48 are formed in the plate 47, said countersinks being in alinement with thethreaded openings 45 of the housing 25; The screws 46 are 'then, mounted through the countersinks 48 of the plate 47, the threaded ends thereof engagingthe threaded openings 45. The heads 49 of said screws will be seated in their respective countersinks.

In the operation of this improved device, when the automobile is stopped, the maninulating levers 10 and 11 of the rods 5 and 8, respectively, should be in a position so that they abut the stops 50. Relative to the lever 10, this position will mean that the fuel supplv has been either cut off from the motor, or the motor is running very slowly and idly. When the operator is about to leave his car, it is, therefore, seen that the levers will be manually and mechanically set in the aforesaid positions, in which positions the plungers 29 of the locking member 24 will be effective against the speeding up of the motor, providing the operator will set the plungers in the path of travel of the levers.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 4, all of the parts are in locking positions. lVhen the operator desires to withdraw the plungers from the aforesaid control levers, the key is inserted in the lock and the member 40 is turned thereby in the direction of the arrow (see Fig. 4), which movement will withdraw the pusher blocks 36 from their locked positions beneath the lower ends of the plungers 29, said plungers being moved downwardly by the springs 32. In this position, the portions 51 of the levers 34 will be seated against the portions 52 of the housing 26. During the travel of the pusher blocks 36 toward their unlocked positions, the recessed portions of said blocks will slide against the under side of the levers 34, thereby guiding said blocks.

)Vhen the pusher blocks 36 are being returned to their locking positions, inasmuch as the recessed portions thereof are always engaged against the lower edges of the levers 34, said blocks will gradually push and swing said levers upwardly, said levers, in turn, reciprocating the plungers 29 outwardly against the pressure of the springs 32. \Vhen said pusher blocks reach their limited outward movement, they will be solidly seated beneath the lower ends of said plungers, thereby positively locking said plungers against return movement in the event that an intruder might desire to poiuid against the upper end of the plungers in order to drive them inwardly and out of the path of travel of the control levers 10 and 11.

In order to provide improved means for securing this improved locking mechanism to the steering rod support 2 so that it cannot be shifted or removed from said support, the clamping screws 36 are of special design, there being a recess 53 formed in the threaded portion of each screw, said recesses having the faces 54 and 55. Mounted in each recess is a small roller 56. Each roller 56 is put in its respective recess as the threaded portion of the screw is being introduced into its threaded opening 45. As the screw is being turned in a right-hand driving direction, the roller will rest in the deeper portion of the recess, thereby giving free movement to the screw. If these screws are attempted to be turned in a loosening direction, each roller 56 of each screw will ride outwardly on its respective face 54 and jam against the threads of its respective opening 45, thereby jamming and locking said screws against removal.

Attention is also called to the heads 49 of said screws 46. Said heads have a pair of inclined faces 57 which lead toward a pair of straight driving faces 58. Said faces 58 are for the engagement of a screw driver.

when the screw driver is turned in a driving direction, whereas the inclined faces 57 will discharge the screw driver from the screw heads when the screw driver is turned in an opposite direction. It is, therefore, seen that when the plate 47 has been secured to the locking member 2A and to the support 2 by said screws 46, said screws cannot be removed, and it will be a futile matter for an intruder to try to remove this improved locking mechanism from its set position.

In some instances, it might be desirable to prevent the control levers from being swung in either direction. In this connection, the embodiment shown in Fig. 8 can be used. This shows a different construction of plunger 59, said plunger having a pair of fingers 60 formed on its upper extremity, forming a pocket 61 which is adapted to engage a control lever 62. Said fingers 60 prevent said lever from being moved in either direction.

What I claim is:

1. A locking mechanism comprising a reciprocably mounted plunger, an extended portion secured to one end of said plunger, a pusher block for moving said plunger into locking position, means for actuating said pusher, said pusher block adapted to travel on said extended portion of said plunger to a position of alinement with said plunger and prevent said plunger from being returned to its unlocked position.

2. A locking member comprising a pair of reciprocably mounted plungers, a pair of reciprocably mounted pusher blocks for said plungers, an extended portion secured to one end of each of said plungers forming trackways for said pusher blocks, said pusher blocks adapted to travel along said trackways and move said plungers into a locking position, and a turnably mounted member adapted to actuate said pusher blocks.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for 3. A locking mechanism comprising a housing, a pair of reciprocably mounted plungers located in said housing, a pair of pivotally mounted levers located in said housing, said levers having their outer ends in engagement with said plungers, a pair of reciprocably mounted pusher blocks adapted to engage against the under faces of said levers, means for reciprocating said pusher blocks, said pusherblocks adapted to swing said levers and cause said plungers to be moved into a locking position.

4i. A locking mechanism comprising a housing, a pair of reciprocably mounted plunger-s located in said housing, a pair of pivotally mounted levers located in said housing, said levers having their outer ends in engagement with said plungers, apair of reciprocably mounted pusher blocks adapted to engage against the under faces of said levers, means for reciprocating said pusher blocks, said pusher blocks adapted to swing said levers and cause said plungers to be moved into a locking position, each of said pusher blocks adapted to aline with each of said plungers, said alining positions of said blocks adapted to prevent said plungers from being moved into an unlocked position.

5. A locking mechanism for the control levers of a vehicle comprising a housing, reciprocably mounted plungers located in said housing, turnably mounted means for actuating said plungers, each of said plungers adapted to be moved into the path of travel of each of said control levers, means for locking said plungers against being moved out of the path of travel of said control levers, said housing adapted to be secured to a steering post support, and means for locking said housing to said support.

6. A locking member comprising a pair of reciprocally mounted plungers, a pair of reciprocally mounted pusher blocks for said plungers, a lever secured to each of said plungers, said pusher blocks adapted to travel along said levers and move said plungers into a locking position, a resilient memher for moving each of said plungers to an unlocked position, and a turnably mounted member pivotally connected to said pusher blocks for actuating said pusher blocks.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature, this 2d day of March, 1915.

In the presence of H. G. FLETCHER,

M. C. HAMMON.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington. D. C. 

